


Endless Conversations

by StoneAndRoses



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Humor, Romance, Tropes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-01
Updated: 2020-05-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:21:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23950741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StoneAndRoses/pseuds/StoneAndRoses
Summary: Ministry of Magic employee Hermione Granger’s life was stagnating. She decided to finally take Minerva’s always open offer to teach at Hogwarts. A (new) brooding potions professor makes her life interesting.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Theodore Nott
Comments: 14
Kudos: 142





	Endless Conversations

**Author's Note:**

> This story has been sitting in my Google Drive for a long time and begging to be released. It started as a monthly writing challenge that I didn't finish because of grad school and I've finally come back to it to get out of my writing funk. 
> 
> I work in healthcare, am in the process of postponing my wedding, and have been struggling with other things going on in the world. Not a great environment to write. I know that I have another story I still need to finish, and I'll get there. But this is my way of trying to jump back in, with fluff and romance and hopefully some humor. 
> 
> I don't have an updating schedule because each chapter in theory should be able to be read as stand alone. There's more these characters want to say, I just don't know what that is quite yet. The rating is for future chapters, that haven't been written yet. It's a bit of an incomplete thought right now, but still reads as a one-shot.
> 
> This work is un-beta'd so all mistakes are my own.
> 
> Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy!

The fresh Scotland air was breathing new life into Hermione Granger. She had finally caved to Minerva’s yearly request to join the Hogwarts faculty. While at the Ministry she had moved up incredibly slowly, and then laterally around to various departments, never quite making it to Department Head. Despite her best efforts to prove that she was more than her (lack of) family name, nobody wanted to promote her. It was like her bosses were the only ones who forgot about the whole “Brightest Witch of her Age” line on her resume. Harry and Ron had moved up the ranks in the DMLE as aurors and were serving as co-Heads of the department. Sometimes she wondered what her life would look like now if she had joined them like Kingsley had suggested. She would probably also be married with 2.5 kids. 

Instead of settling down, she moved. She had thought that although she was isolating herself from the rest of the wizarding world, the move would light the fire under her cauldron. Not that she was teaching potions, she took over Charms thank you very much. In London she had fallen into the rhythm of the fifth wheel, and was ready to be out on her own. No reason to settle down yet anyways. Didn’t everyone know that as witches they could easily have children into their forties, fifties even? Maybe she needed to start lobbying for basic biology lessons while she was here. 

At the Welcome Feast her stomach fluttered with Cornish pixies when Minerva introduced her. Sitting at the front of the hall was a whole new experience, and the room glittered even more with a spectacular night sky and candles from her new vantage point. The fluttering was also in part due to her new collection of colleagues, most of whom she did not know well. Neville was a friendly and welcome face at the table, but all of the other professors were different than when she had still been in school and more or less mysteries to her. 

Professor Aleksandrov, a Durmstrang graduate around her age, taught Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professor Laurier the new Transfiguration professor was fresh out of Beauxbatons. An Ilvermorny graduate in his thirties, Professor Wilson had taken Hagrid’s old post. Justin Finch-Fletchly taught flying, which meant Hermione felt less bad about not speaking with him in about six years as she had no plans to go anywhere near the first years with brooms. At the end of the table sat two Slytherins from her year, but not the ones she had picked fights with. Daphne Greengrass taught Arithmancy and Theodore Nott taught Potions, because of course he did. From what she had seen through the meal he was just as brooding as Severus. 

When she mentioned her observation to Neville, he brushed it off. 

“Oh, don’t mind that,” Neville had told her over their lamb chops. “He seems grumpy, but I promise he’s much nicer than Snape. And somewhat of a genius if you believe Daphne. And I do. He lost  _ me _ in a discussion of poisonous plants the other day.  _ Me _ Hermione, the Herbology Professor.”

Yes. Theodore Nott had given her quite a run for her galleons when they had been in school. But despite this, ‘Theo’ (as she recalled his friends calling him) had spoken to her eight times during their six years in school. Five of those had been when they were potions partners for a week in third year. Two of them had been in Arithmancy during a group project. And the last had been him asking her to dance at the Yule Ball their fourth year. She had the word “yes” on the tip of her tongue, but Viktor had chosen that moment to get over protective and had scared the Slytherin off. They had silently danced around each other in classes for the rest of their time at school.

During dessert she decided to lean to look down the table, only to find an inquisitive wizard staring back at her. They stared at each other until Daphne broke their concentration by leaning into their line of sight with a mischievous smirk. Yes, the fire under her cauldron would likely be raging by Christmas holidays.

\-----------

The ninth time that Hermione and Theodore spoke was to arrange what would be the tenth. 

A short and sudden “Granger!” had pulled her out of the pedagogy book she was reading in the staff room. 

She lifted her head to respond, “Yes, Nott?” 

“We’ve been assigned patrolling duties this weekend. Minerva asked me to show you the route on Friday night. I’ll pick you up at your rooms around, say… nine o’clock?”

She smiled, “That would be lovely, Nott. Thank you.”

\------------

The thirteenth time they spoke was a little more “friendly” after their rounds a few weeks prior. During their patrol they had covered most of the basics for colleagues, as well as an awkward apology from Nott on behalf of his father and friends. She insisted it wasn’t necessary, but it was nice, and she figured this was the official “I’d like to be friends with Hermione Granger” notification.

Today, for old time’s sake, Hermione had gone to the library to start some independent research when the students left for the first Hogsmeade weekend. Since it was so early in the year the younger students still didn’t feel the pressure to study on Saturdays the library was mercifully empty. She had just finished her third page of notes on modified Fidelius charms when she was rudely interrupted. 

“Granger, you’re at my table.”

“Theodore,” she said looking up at the irate Slytherin (no really, he was now head of Slytherin, the unspoken rule of the potion master maintaining that post lived on). “I don’t see your name on it.”

“Very funny Granger…” She had quickly observed that he was better at rolling his eyes than even Draco Malfoy himself. “Since you’re the new one here… let me explain something to you. This is my table for research on Saturdays. You have plenty of space on your classroom desk, why don’t you use it? Or better yet, there’s many other tables here-”

“Don’t you have one too?”   


“Obviously, everyone does. But mine is frequently covered with vials of student work because every other flat surface in my classroom is covered in cauldrons, books, and jars of ingredients. So if you-”

“Yes, I did notice in my last visit to the dungeons that you’re not nearly as tidy as Snape was. He clearly made it work. I’m sure you-”

“Now, see here Granger! I-”

“SHHHHHHHH! I expect this from students not employees. Play nicely or you will be asked to leave.” Both Professors coiled back from as a result of Madame Pince’s scolding. 

“Now you’ve gone and done it, Granger,” Nott quietly snapped as he set down the thick potions tomes on the table.

“Oh please. I was here first. But as you clearly are not going to ask, be my guest and join me.”

After their tussle they worked quietly until there was only thirty minutes left for lunch. When he insisted on escorting her, she had laughed in his face. When he forcibly grabbed her book bag and then looped her hand into the crook of his arm she sighed dramatically and followed him to the Great Hall. 

\----------------

The thirty-fourth time they spoke Theodore did his best to annoy her.

“Seriously Granger, just let me help you with discipline.”

“No Theodore.” She sighed, dragging her hand down her face hoping that she was not simultaneously smearing ink on her cheeks. “That would literally make it worse. If I am already struggling with the Slytherin seventh years, you dressing them down will enforce their dislike of me and make them act out in class more.”

He shook his head and set down a Honeyduke’s dark chocolate bar on the edge of her desk closest to him. “This is where I’m going to stand my ground here. It’s a house thing. And before you get mad at me about the rivalry, it’s not that. It’s not a blood status thing either. Slytherins generally have trust issues as I’m sure you’ve figured out. If I reprimand them they’ll listen. Not only because I’m a snake and head of house, but I know most of their parents and can get them in real trouble.”

“As much as I appreciate your help, I think I’ve got this. I  _ also _ know their parents I-” she was cut off by her colleague’s hand stilling her quill from it’s marking, causing her to look at him.

“Granger. Eat your chocolate, I’ll handle it.” He left no room for argument and turned on his heel, presumably going to the dungeons to threaten his students. 

But as she bit into her favorite sweet she found it hard to chase after him and argue. She would let him protect her this once because she honestly wasn’t sure what she was going to do with those students. 

He had held up his end of the bargain. The following morning Flint Jr and his cronies had walked into her classroom and apologized to  _ her _ . After class, they all came up to her desk again and placed three more of her favorite chocolate bars on the corner.

\----------------

The seventy-first time they spoke Theo proved his savvy with research and that his brain was just as good as hers.

“Seriously, Granger? You just need to include the theta into the equation.”

She growled at him across their table at the library. “The-o-dore” she said in an effort to draw out his name and annoy him with the formality, “I think you’re wrong.”

“I know you’re normally the smartest one in the room,” he snipped at her, “But what’s the point of being at Hogwarts if you don’t utilize your colleagues’ knowledge? I know all the other faculty ask you questions and you give them your two knuts. Can’t you do the same? Especially when it’s me?”

“Fine,” she snapped at him, grabbing a fresh sheet of parchment. 

He watched her expectantly over his own book, not focusing on his new potion development, needing to win the battle of wits. 

She groaned upon the completion of her calculations, muttering into the parchment. He was right. She needed the theta. 

“What was that Granger? I didn’t quite hear you…”

And now he was gloating. 

“You were right Theo. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Hermione.”

\--------

The hundredth time was during a staff meeting called at the last minute by McGonagall and Greengrass of all people. 

Theo plopped down to her left as had become custom in most situations: the library, dinner, staff meetings, Quidditch games. “Do you know what this is about?”

“No idea.”

Meddling. That’s what it had been about. She knew that Minerva had picked up on some of Dumbledore’s bad habits. She would have had to. The Hogwarts staff were to do a gift exchange at the Holidays. In true pureblood heiress fashion Daphne was organizing. Which Hermione both loved and loathed. The process would be extremely organized and well done, which meant she would have to participate and follow the rules. 

\-----------

On number 123, Hermione had to dress Theo down for the inexplicably expensive gift she had received from him for the gift exchange.

“Theo… this is bloody  _ Goblin made _ . Did you not see the suggested amount we spend on the gift?” she asked incredulously standing in his doorway. 

“But it will look so nice with your plum robes…” he added with little to no effort. He punctuated the air of indifference by picking off flecks of soot that his classroom was plagued with. 

“Can we please have this conversation in your classroom and not in the hallway?” she questioned. 

“No,” he said with a smirk, “Then you could actually yell at me. In the hallway you have to be conscious of your decorum.”

She huffed. He was infuriating sometimes. 

“Granger. Will it make you feel better if I tell you I didn’t spend any money on your gift?” he asked. 

“Probably not.”

“Well… I didn’t. I was already in possession of the brooch already. It’s a gift and would be rude of you to refuse it,” he said, adding the last part quietly. 

She chuckled, “I know. That’s why I’m just scolding you, because I can’t refuse it.” 

\-----------

The 124th time was less of a conversation and more of Hermione yelling at the shut door of his quarters. 

After knocking for what felt like five solid minutes, she finally started trying to talk through the door. 

“Theodore Nott, I know you’re there. And I know you don’t have a silencing charm up, you're the head of house. If you don’t want to speak with me… fine. But I’d ask you to listen about the very interesting conversation I had with Daphne Greengrass at breakfast this morning. Something about traditional methods of expressing interest in someone within pureblood circles involving a family piece of jewelry… specifically from the mother’s side of the family. Didn’t you tell me that you didn’t buy the brooch? She seemed to think it was your grandmother’s?”

She paused. Still nothing from the other side of the door. 

“Fine. I only have one question I want answered, which is honestly shocking. Why? Why give it to me Theo? Well I guess that was two… but you see my point. You could have given it to any witch you wanted. Damn it, I have one more question I guess… Why didn’t you tell me you were interested?”

The door handle didn’t move as expected. The portrait watching over his door gave her a sad look that seemed like an apology. 

“Alright. When you finally feel ready for conversation 125, I expect answers to those questions.” 

She desperately hoped he had been counting too so that she didn’t come across as a  _ complete _ weirdo.

\-----------

Conversation 124 and a half happened about five minutes following the “end” of conversation 124. And it definitely did not count as a conversation because she didn’t really say anything. 

Hermione was roughly a quarter of the way back to her quarters when she was unceremoniously whipped around on the spot and snogged within an inch of her life. The smell of smoke and herbs wrapped around her as Theo’s black teaching cape (he claimed it was a cloak… it was not) shielded her from the rest of the hallway. Thank goodness it was right before the Holidays and the students were in their common rooms. 

When they came up for air, Theo was whispering in her ear. 

“Hermione, I gave you the brooch because I thought it would look lovely on you, and it does. It also has some slight protection charms which I figured would be useful in warding off errant magic during classes…”

She began to speak but he cut her off. 

“No, let me finish,” he said kissing her neck. “I also gave it to you because I was too cowardly to tell you I was interested. It was a way of expressing my feelings and possibilities for the future without having to say it to your face. I had no idea how you would react. I figured when you finally found out the meaning it would be an easier conversation. But I didn’t factor in Daphne meddling.”

“Theo, I…”

He cut her off with another kiss. 

“I’ve answered your questions. Give it the weekend to think on it, we’ll talk after breakfast on Monday.”

\-----------

Hermione’s 125th conversation with Theodore Nott was the most highly anticipated. Hermione had spent the weekend going through a pros and cons list for the better part of Saturday. Meaning she desperately tried to think of more cons outside of “we are coworkers” and “his father is a blood supremacist who currently resides in Azkaban.” Those two carried a lot of weight, but not compared to the 20+ pros she came up with.

Theo waited for her to finish stabbing at her pancakes Monday morning, leading her out onto the grounds. They began to walk towards the quidditch pitch when Theo asked, “So… have you thought about… everything?”

“Yes,” she said shyly, “I’ve been thinking about it all weekend.”

“Hermione… I--” said Theo at the same time as Hermione tried to continue forward. “Sorry,” he apologized. “Please continue. I can say something later.”

“No,” she said, “I’m curious to hear what you have to say.”

“That’s the thing… I’m not sure if I know the right words. Which is slightly terrifying, but also tells me that my feelings are real, and important,” he answered honestly. “I’d like to at the very least see where it goes.” 

She turned to look at Theo and saw the kind smile extended to his eyes and the rest of his body language. She recognized this as one of the most romantic moments of her thus far extremely un-romantic life (which does make sense when you are best friends with the boy who had to save the wizarding world). 

“Good,” she smiled, “That’s what I was hoping you would say.”

He grabbed her hands and looked at her, realizing she was wearing her plum robes and the brooch. Upon noticing, Theo grazed the brooch gently with his fingertips, then moved his hand to hold her chin up. 

“Well then Miss Granger, I would like to formally start courting you… Well, minus all of the arcane rules like escorts and such. Though Daphne did volunteer, I think she just --”

Hermione recognized the need to fill the awkward moments by continuing to talk. She did it frequently. Ginny would cut her off with a smack to the shoulder, Harry would “ummm” until she stopped, and Ron frequently would just give her a look. She decided none of those options would work well with Theo, so she decided to kiss him. 

That’s how they ended up snogging on the grounds, out in the open. That’s also how the first years on their way to their flying lessons found them. It’s also how Minerva found out about their new status as an item, and how they got a “stern” talking to. It wasn’t too stern though, because Minerva was thrilled to put it lightly. It’s also how Daphne became her newest female friend, because Professor Greengrass claimed that since she was Theo’s best friend, now she and Hermione were going to be best friends. 

\-----------

The 140th conversation was Hermione’s first date in roughly three years. Theo took her to a Muggle pub of all places. He claimed that he wanted it to be low pressure, and to avoid the press. She thought it was a ploy to make her feel more comfortable, but the way the man wolfed down fish and chips made it clear he genuinely loved muggle pubs. 

They talked for a few hours, had a few drinks, and went back to the castle. 

The awkward hovering in front of the door was cut short, not by herself, but by Theo. 

“Let’s take it slow, no rush. I want to do some incredibly inappropriate things with you, but I think since we’ve only just become friends… What are you doing for the holidays?”

“Probably spending some time at the Burrow. Mostly planning on staying here.”

“Me as well,” he said with a shy smile. “Will you let me take you flying one day?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Cook for you?”

“Sure.”


End file.
